Hello Stranger
by MistressOfLemmings
Summary: Post PP. Christmas truce in the Ghostzone and Danny sees a familiar face he'd never thought he'd see again.


Glasses chimed as the participating toasted, old friends and enemies under the same roof celebrating the Christmas truce, although one or two leers would be cast. Danny, in the shape of Phantom sighed. Years had passed after the meteor. What he had never thought of was the consequences the hero and international superstar status would bring him. Thank god that he could turn invisible if the press or the local nutjob ghost hunters, or worse, fans got too overwhelming. Danny was only in Amity Park temporarily over the holidays to celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family. It was now Christmas eve and the annual truce was held in the Ghostzone. Here every one viewed him no different from when he was a young teen. Either he was prey, enemy or ally.

The alcohol was starting to get to his head, he was feeling sentimental. One thing was for sure, The dead could throw one hell of a party. The food that had been on the table was now scattered around it thanks to Technus attempt at dancing, now he was somewhere under the table with his face in a bowl of pudding. "Light weight." Skulker chuckled into his drink. Danny couldn't help but smile. The food had looked delicious at the beginning of the evening, but he knew better than to taste it. Skulker could be quite the entertaining company when he wasn't trying to sever his head from his shoulders. From what he gathered, Skulker and Ember had broken up for the up tenth time -This year. Sam and Danny had gone their separate ways before college, they were slowly working up to friendship again, Tucker stepped in as a buffer between them when necessary, he owed that guy a lot.

Deep in thought he nearly missed Skulkers next choice of topic. Danny refocused, "What?" Skulker rolled his eyes, that is if he had had any. "I said. You leave so early every year. You always miss him on the truce." Danny frowned. Who? He always left early because he never felt to hang around too long in the zone and out of courtesy to his family, they didn't meet that much after he started college. But who was he always missing? He voiced his question. Skulker looked baffled for a second then changed into a wolfgrin. "You don't know? Stay for the rest of the party and you'll be in for a treat, prey." Skulker left Danny standing and disappeared into the crowd of ghosts.

Okay, now he was paranoid. Who could it be? He shouldn't have too much to worry about, it was the truce after all. No one would lay hand on one another this evening. He gulped down the rest of his drink and grabbed another glass from the makeshift bar. One hour later of small talk and drinking he thought he saw a glimpse of something in the crowd. Something black and white. Could it be? In the back of his mind he had always wondered what had happened with the man. Could it have been? No, impossible. Vlad?

Someone must have spiked his drink. Vlad had been banished into space. There would be no way in hell that he'd make it back. Then he saw him for real and there was no mistaken that it was Plasmius. Somewhat different but it was definitely him. Danny dropped his drink in his chock and the glass crashed into a million pieces. The noise brought the attention of the surrounding ghosts. Vlad turned his head towards him and stared with his red orbs. Danny gasped, frozen in place. Plasmius excused his company and walked into the crowd. Oh, hell no. The jig was up and Danny be damned if he let that bastard get away without any explanations. He dashed and caught up with his former adversary. Grabbing his arm and spinning him to face him "You asshole!" Not his best greeting, "How long have you been here?" "Hello to you too, Daniel." Plasmius kept his voice even and mildly bored. Danny tightened his grip. "Answer me." Vlad looked beyond Danny and stated. "Seems like we attracted quite the crowd." Danny turned his head and could see that they were indeed surrounded by a multitude of curious onlookers. Mostly just wondering or hoping there would be a fight. "Let's take this outside then." He wouldn't give them the pleasure. Vlad gave him a court nod and led the way out front.

"You've grown." Was the first thing Vlad said when they got outside the floating town hall building. Danny sneered. "Thanks for the update, captain obvious."He had grown a lot over the years, he was 6 foot tall now. At closer look, he had grown past the halfa next to him. The realization felt a little odd. Vlad had always been the one towering over him. Vlad looked out over the void that was the Ghostzone. "I'm trying to be civilized, Daniel." Danny crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Yeah, yeah. So, how long have you been here?" Picking up from where they left off inside the facility." Vlad sighed,"Years." Danny raised a brow. "Ever since the... you know?" He nodded. "Pretty much yes."

Danny uncrossed his arms and paced." So all these years you have been here? Never occurred to you to pipe up?" This time it was Plasmius turn to look irritated. "Number one enemy of the planet remember?" "Never stopped you before from being a douche." The other man scowled. "I'm just saying!"He put his hands up. "Hell. Not even trying to go after my mum? You just dropped dead or what?" - "Daniel." - "Maybe I should be grateful that you disappeared for eternity!" - "Daniel, enough." - "But, it's the not knowing that was the worst! Not knowing if you'd turn up and take revenge on us all with that twisted head of yours!" Danny was shaking. "Are you done now?" He nodded, feeling a little deflated, but it felt good to get it off his chest. "Yeah, for the moment I think so." Plasmius rolled his eyes. "Good."

There was uncomfortable silence between them. The older halfa cleared his throat. "How is everything? You're in college now, right?" The younger one turned to the older. "It's fine. I'm... I'm studying in Wisconsin." Vlad wore a mask of surprise and disbelief. "I know, I know. I think I hit my head a few times to many for me think that it was a good idea to apply there." Vlad gave him a dry smile and chuckled."Remind me to give Skulker a fruitbasket." Danny laughed. They both laughed. He took the chance to take a good look at his old foe. Pointy ears, canines, same old, same old. But now his hair was down, was it longer? And his outfit looked worn. Something else was off though, He could more sense it than see it, but couldn't put his finger on it. He still wore a long cape, but the collar wasn't as big. It wasn't that. It was something else. His features seemed...Timeless. Maybe he had been too long in his ghostly state, or maybe it was because Danny hadn't seen him for so long and mixed up his memory of Vlad's human appearance with his ghostly one. He realized that Vlad was staring back at him with a curious gaze and taking in his new looks as well. Suddenly very self aware he turned towards the great void and hugged himself.

"Does this mean we'll start fighting again." Vlad shrugged. "I have no interest with your family. I only wish to forget. I have burned all my bridges." Danny remembered how the otherwise so cool headed and manipulative halfa had completely lost it, revealing his true face to the world and given them the ultimatum of complete domination over them all. "You expect me to believe you?" Vlad shrugged again. "Believe what you want. Tonight is the truce, the last thing that those that live here can cling on to what little they have left of their humanity. Tomorrow, we'll see. I haven't caused you any trouble up until now, now haven't I?" That was all true. But Plasmius was a double edged sword and there was always an underlying meaning with his words. Did it mean that there would be trouble now that he had found him out? Though Vlad had avoided him those rare moments that Danny entered the Ghostzone. All that trouble only to go back to making his life miserable again? God, he had completely forgotten what an jigsaw the fruitloop could be.

He decided not to think any more of it. He'd take the days as they came. Still... There was yet one last question that had been bothering him. "Vlad?" Plasmius hummed. "How did you get out of space?" Vlad turned his full attention to Danny and right at that moment, Danny knew. Plasmius smirked.

"I didn't."


End file.
